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Photo Gallery: New Products, Packaging Revamps at NACS 2013

No, the 2013 NACS show in Atlanta may not have been a hub for innovation as it was in years past. Nevertheless, here was a significant number of new product announcements and brand updates seen at the 2013 NACS show, most coming in the form of line extensions and packaging revamps. After three days on the floor, we located almost 60 new products and brands that were featured at the event, all of which are included in the following photo gallery.

Video: A Recap of NACS 2013

What a difference a year makes. Yes, most of the big beverage players were present at the 2013 NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Show; The Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple, Red Bull and Monster Energy all featured the usual mega booths that attendees are used to seeing at the event. But unlike years past, the NACS show in Atlanta was notable for what it was missing: many of the natural and functional brands that we saw in 2012.

NACS: Bai Braces for National Test

Bai is currently distributed in 14 states, mostly in the Northeast, but with distribution from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the company plans to enter the other 36 via 12,000 new retail outlets by the end of 2014. They call it “hyper-growth” and claim it’s a pace that hasn’t yet overwhelmed them.

Last Call: BevNET Best of 2013 + New Beverage Guide; TOMORROW is the Deadline

Did you or your company launch a new beverage (for you or a client) in the past year? Have you revamped your brand or introduced new packaging? Either way, it's time to enter your product into BevNET's Best of 2013 Awards, which will be announced at BevNET Live Winter 13. Don't delay -- TOMORROW, OCTOBER 18 is the deadline to signup!

NACS: Natural Brands Aim for Growth in C-Stores

ITO EN, VOSS, Balance Water and Ayala's Herbal Water, to name a few, hope to spearhead what they believe is the gradually changing inventory of C-stores, and they did so in the halls of the Georgia International Convention Center, tucked between rows of companies peddling e-cigarettes and microwaveable fried chicken.

Bai Launches New Distribution in Chicago

Bai Brands, the makers of Bai 5, today announced new distribution in Chicago, a significant component of the company's plans to be a national brand by the end of 2014. Bai's launch in the Windy City will be supported by distribution from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which also works with the company in metro New York. Bai has also secured placement in grocer chain Jewel-Osco, which has a significant presence in the Midwest.

Wells Fargo Survey: C-Store Beverage Sales Up 3 Percent in Q3 2013, Energy up by Double-Digits

Just ahead of the upcoming National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show, Wells Fargo Securities has released the results of a survey on C-store beverage trends during the third quarter of 2013. The investment bank’s “Beverage Buzz” survey, found that year over year sales of non-alcoholic beverages rose by 2.6 percent in the quarter, led by double-gains in energy drink sales, which offset declines among CSD products.

Karma Tries for a Pure Play

Karma Water, best known as one of the leading mix-to-drink brands utilizing a cap that enables vitamins to be dispersed into a bottle of water, has launched a new alkaline…

Short-Term Innovation: Red Bull Soccer, Sprite’s Seasonal

Call it a nod to niche: a couple of high-profile beverage brands recently launched limited edition line extensions. Red Bull has launched “Bull Energy Drink," a new sweet orange-flavored variety that is sold in soccer arenas and other special venues, and the Coca-Cola Co. has introduced a new cranberry-flavored Sprite for the holidays.

Manhattan Marketers Create Tea Cocktails

Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield, the founders of Owl’s Brew, a tea made specifically for cocktails, didn't set out to reinvent the mixer category, but BevMo likes the idea, anyway.

Novartis Puts NoDoz Into Energy Shot Game

Long before Red Bull, Monster and 5-Hour Energy, there was NoDoz, one of the first and best known over-the-counter caffeine supplements sold in the U.S. In recent years, however, energy drinks and shots have become a booming, multi-billion dollar category, and, in the process, made NoDoz seem like a relic of previous generations. That may change. After years of sitting on the sidelines, NoDoz has finally gotten into the game with the recent launch of NoDoz Energy Shots.

Evolution Fresh Puts Pressure on Cold-Pressed Competition with Launch of New $70 Million Facility

The new 264,000 sq. ft. facility, is “one of the largest (in dollar sales) HPP juiceries in the U.S. capable of sourcing, peeling, squeezing and pressing raw fruits and vegetables,” according to the company. Equipped with four HPP machines, the new manufacturing plant will allow Evolution Fresh to produce 140,000 gallons of juice per week, four times as much as the old facility.